If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Just to be difficult, 4 hives, 2 nucs and trying to get 2 nucs QR for the winter (emerge Sept 1). So I could be 4, 6 or 8! how do you count? Treatment? not this season, yet, low counts.
Seriously 4 to count.

“Why do we fall, sir? So that we might learn to pick ourselves up” Alfred Pennyworth Batman Begins (2005)

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Just combined a nuc with a weaker hive so in my country yard I have 6 hives, two singles and 4 doubles. In town I have 2 doubles. I was going to make some nucs up but have decided not to.

So I have a total of 8 hives going into fall/winter and I am taking them in treatment free.

And I am also very happy right now that I get to stop feeding for a while as well as the tar weed is in full bloom and everywhere this year!! They have stopped sucking down the sugar syrup which is also a clear indication of a flow.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Originally Posted by minz

Just to be difficult, 4 hives, 2 nucs and trying to get 2 nucs QR for the winter (emerge Sept 1). So I could be 4, 6 or 8! how do you count? Treatment? not this season, yet, low counts. Seriously 4 to count.

Please get all your combines and splits done by October 1st. Olly has no mercy. A nuc is technically a colony to him so they will count as a hive.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Why is everybody getting in a month early? Charlies rules are the rules.
"The winter time frame for the purposes of this challenge is October 1, 2012 to March 1, 2013."
I will count my hives at the end of September and not include the dozen that die before then.
Where can I order 50 queens for mid September delivery?

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Hey, how about some sort of handicap system, based on the average number of days below a set temperature, like 32 deg F.? No way am I going to be able to compete with someone from Florida or Cali. when my bees are in Wisconsin.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

>No way am I going to be able to compete with someone from Florida or Cali. when my bees are in Wisconsin.
>is it really that much of a challenge to overwinter bees in San Mateo, California?

Cold has little or nothing to do with my winter losses, although a brood break during a real winter might help. My bees have been collapsing due to some mystery "CCD" type problem. They can fly and collect pollen almost 365 days a year. But they probably have mites and DVW all year long, lots of queens that disappear/fail prematurely, as winter progresses many lose population, and die en mass in the few cold rainy days we have. Next to them are strong hives that winter just fine. Going into winter with a brand new queen seems to often guarantee survival. I have kept bees over 42 years and this problem began in 2006.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

Originally Posted by Roland

Hey, how about some sort of handicap system, based on the average number of days below a set temperature, like 32 deg F.? No way am I going to be able to compete with someone from Florida or Cali. when my bees are in Wisconsin.

Re: Are you ready for the Odfrank overwintering challenge?

The bad thing about bee keeping, is when you make mistakes that cost you hives...
Like:
- moving hives a short distance in late fall and loosing a LOT of foragers, weakening the hive and ultimately loosing it
-Having queens from warmer climates of unknown genetics and unknown age head the hives going into the winter.
-not monitoring for mites regularly, especially in fall.
-not realizing there is a darth in late summer and allowing the queens to shut down, just when you need those upcoming young bees to overwinter.
(I could go on, but I bet you get it by now)

The good thing about bee keeping is that once you get over the loss and your stupid mistakes, you look forward to the next season so you can apply what you've learned. So sure you've got it this time!

So yes, I am in for OdFranks challenge. Mites have been almost non excitant all summer-(we'll see if they stay that way once all the capped brood is open) Hives are well fed and heavy-or will be by October-Yellow jackets have been outsmarted, etc. Almost every queen is home raised from superior stock and locally mated in mid summer.

I will have about 85 hives and nucs after combining a few more smaller mating nucs. As a second year beekeeper, that is already a challenge! We'll wait for the final count when I get back from Montana after I show the boys how to bring home dinner with a little stick

Not sure how I am going to winterize the box's yet other than clustering them together somewhat on the benches. I'll update if I get any bright ideas.
I have a long inactive period and wet rainy winters here..They won't become activly laying again until mid- April.

Western Washington State, near the Canadian border.

The young queens are laying like crazy..I am already in much better shape this year. In fact some hives have two queens...Hee hee, is that cheating?